Frost-proof water-tank.



BEST AVAILABLE COF PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

F. M. VANDEGRIFT.

FROST PROOF WATER TANK.

APILIUATION FILED MAY 11.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

.i U. l .1 w

BEST AvAlLABLE COF No. 789,077. FATRNTFD MAY 2, 1905.

F. M. VANDRGRIFT.

FROST PROOF WATER TANK.'

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.BST AVMLABLE COP PATBNTEO MAY z, 1905. P. M. VANOOORIPT.

FROST PROOfl WATER TANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l1. 1964.

(Tl l v4.11 for i if :B ESTAVNLABLCE* -UNITEDl STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FROST-PROOF WATER-TANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,077, dated May 2, 1905.

Applieationfiled May 1l, 1904. Serial No. 207,500. l

I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its principal object to .provide a tank for water-such as used for railways, live stock, fire protection, and other lpurposes--which shall be entirelyT independent of the inclosing shell or casing and .the

v` parts of which said tank is composed being 1 made entirely of wood and assembled with- "out the use of hoops, staves, nails, bolts, pins,

or analogous fastening means and which shall possess the great advantage over many devices of a like nature in use at the present time 'contained tank that it shall enhance the frostproof quality of the tank.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a device characterized by my invention, as will more fully hereinafter appear in the specification and as then particularly pointed out in the claims.

. In the accom panyingdrawings,in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved device, the hinged cover thereof being thrown back to display the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a top plan View, partly in section, of my improved device, the cover thereof being removed to display the interior construction. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the device on line a a, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the device on line b L, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the tank removed from Fig. 8 is a detail collective view of a set of l 'fastening-keys and a sill removed from the device, showing their manner of assemblage and operation. Fig. 8 is a detail fragmentary view of a portion of the bottom of the device, showing the opening therein and the lower' ends of the j{fastening-keys projected therethrough. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a small wedge-key, and Fig. 10 is a detail reduced View in perspective of one of the sills removed from the device.

Referring to thedrawings in detail, the water-tank (designated generally by A and shown best in Fig. 5) of any. preferred shape, as squareor oblong, and of any desirabledimensions preferably comprises the bottom a andV the four walls a a2 a a", these parts being preferably formed ot' wood, desir-ably twoinch plank, grooved, dovetailed, ormortisejointed in the usual and well-known manner and, as shown in Fig. 5, to obviate the employment of hoops, staves, nails, pins, bolts, or like fastening means, the joints being preferably well leaded with white lead. The walls a' a2 of the tank are rnortised, as at a5, in which mortises the walls as a? of the tank fit. What I designate as a half or supplemental cover` A', desir-ably rigidly secured to the top of the tank in any suitable manner, may be provided comprising the upper and lower portions cfa?, separated to form an airspace a by pieces a am. This auxiliary cover, as shown, covers approximately about half of the space formed by the four walls of the tank.

The casing or inclosng protective shell B, desirably also of wood, preferably comprises the bottom Z1, having openings b b b b therein, Fig. 8, and the four walls b2 3 b3, the walls b2 b2 having lower openings b* b* therein. Sills O O, having mortises c c c c, Fig. 10, near each end thereof, registering with the openings L in the bottom of the casing, rest in the openings 7)* L* 7)* b4, the

ends of said sills projecting beyond the cas" lOO \ sEsT AvAiLAsLE cor` C C, midway of the depth thereof and bridging the space therebetween, is a supplementalor false bottom c3, forming an ai r-space between the bottom b and also'an air-space be tween this false bottom 03 and the bottom a of the tank, which bottom L rests on the supporting-sills C C, Fig. 3.

Preferably partitions 715 b5 7) L between the four walls of the casing B and those of the tank A form air-spaces 07 Il? l 2x7.

Mounted in the openings L8 bs b 7; in the top of Athe front and rear walls of the casing B and resting on the top of the walls of the tank are sills D D, which have, near their ends, mortises (similar to those lettered c. Fig. 10, in the lower sills) through which and through the mortisescin the lower sills C C and through the openings b' b b' in the bottom of the casing pass sets of vertically-arranged locking-keys (three to a set) holding the upper and lower sills and the tank against displacement or movement in the following manner: Through the mortises in each end of the several sills pass a set of Athese locking-keys, each set comprising three keys, two of which, E, are at both ends headed,

as shown at e, so that when inserted verti- Acally through the mortises in the sills and through the opening in the bottom of the casing these headed ends willhook on the tops of the upper sills D D, Fig. 1, and on the botl tom of the lower sills CC, Fig. 8, thus holding -y -'the sills and the tank firmly in place against accidental displacement.

The third or center key e of each set is adapted to be driven between the other two keys ofthe set, one of which in operation rests against the forward end of the mortise in the sill, the other pressing against the side of the tank. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4:.) The mortises in the sills are cut, as shown, so that in case of shrinkage or the like of the tank it is only necessary to tap or strike the keys e' farther in, which will tightly bind the tank in position and eradicate any movement thereof. The keys e' thus act as wedges, andit will be seen that the upperjand lower sills and the locking-keys passing therethrough coperate to adjust the tank immovably in place.

'.lhe sills D D, similarly to the sills C C, have their ends projecting beyond the casing protected against splitting or wearing away by strips of iron, tin, or the like d2, the iron strips being secured to the sills by a bolt or by bolts or the like d3, of required size.

Small tapering wedge-keys F F F F, held in place on top of walls a. a of the tank and in groovesf in the under sides of the top sills DD by being rabbeted, as at f', may be provided to act as wedges, thus additionally to insure the tank against the least vertical movement. As said, the small wedge-keys are held initially against displacement by being rabbeted, the rabbeted portion fitting' snugly in the groove of the sill; but in the event that l the tank becomes warped or contracted in height these small keys are driven farther in to take up any play caused by the contraction, and small keys F F F F may be provided, disposed, as shown in Fig. 4, on top of the two lower sills C C between the walls a. a2 of the tank and the adjacent locking-keys E, thus insuring that the several pieces of which the bottom a of the tank is composed shall be drawn tightly together and also serving to bind the lower portions of the walls a a2 of the tank firmly against the walls a2 a thereof, as will be readily understood.

It is to be understood that, if desired, the water-tank may be painted interiorly and exteriorly. l

It will be noted that the construction of the tank and the casing with interposed air-spaces will conduce to effective frost-proofness of the water-tank. Additionally to insure that the water-tank shall be thoroughly frost-proof I may suitably arrange over the walls thereof one, two, or more thicknesses of tar or feltpaper according to the kind of paper used, and as this is an obvious expedient 1 have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate it.

Along two sides of the top of the casing are secured boards H H, each notched at /L /1 to admit of the headed ends of the fastening or locking keys E and e being projected through said boards. The inner longitudinal sides of the boards press down on the upper sills D D, the boards being removably secured to the top of the casing-walls b3 b3, as by screws or the like.

The cover proper, I, for the tank and casing completely bridges the entire tank and comprises two substantially similar portions t" 2, the portion 2 being removably suitably secured along three sides thereof, as at 3, respectively, to the top of the wall a2 of the casing and the two upper sides of the upper sills D D, as shown. The portion vl is hinged, as at 71" 5, to the portion 2, so that it may be swung back to afford access to the water in the tank` as desired. Said portion v1 is provided on its under side near each end with a plurality of strips 'bridged or connected by boards 7 8, the rim or edges of the board s when the cover I is closed tightly fitting and pressing against the top of the walls a' as a* of the tank and the forward or front edge of the board 7 resting against the top of the partition b5, thus forming an air-tight and frost-proof closure.

It will be observed from the descriptionthat the device as a whole'is air-tight and by its construction thoroughly frost-proof, keeping the water in the tank cool in summer and warm in winter. It will also be observed that the tank is really entirely independent of the casing-1I. e., is not secured or fastened thereto by nails or the like-thus admitting of its being tightened up or loosened or removed from the casing at will.

IIO

e'EsTAvAiLABLE coPv It Will be understood that various minor modifications may be made in the details of Ionstruction of my device without'departing rom the spirit of my invention-as, for in- 'tance, in very large tanks, such as railway- Qanks, it may be found desirable to have sills 'unning at right angles to, from, and under `he lower sills C C, such auxiliary sills to be `,astened and keyed the same as the sills C C lescribed-and that I do not confine myself in iractice to the uses stated herein of my de- 'ice, as it is obvious that it is applicable to ny use where it may be employed advanageously-as, for instance, the device of my nvention may be used as an ice box or chest Jnd in such use will be found very efcacious n preserving the life of the ice.

, Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a frost-proof device of the character lescribed, a casing. a water-tank within the :asing composed of a plurality of separable nembers, and locking members to hold the `)arts of the tank together disposed between, ind forcibly bearing against, the casing and .he water-tank. 2. In a frost-proof device of the character lescribed, a casing, a water-tank'within said :asing composed of a plurality of separable nembers, and clamping members to hold the nembers of the tank against separation, com- )ris'ing removable locking devices disposed )etween and forcibly bearing against the casng and the water-tank.

3. In a frost-proof device of the character lescribed, a casing, a water-tank within said `:asing composed of a plurality of separable members, and locking-keys to clamp the mem- 1liers of the tank against separation, disposed ietween and forcibly bearing against the casing and the water-tank.

j 4. In a frost-proof device of the character flescribed, a casing, a water-tank within said 4:asing composed of a plurality of separable nembers. and sets of locking-keys to clamp .he members of the tank against separation, lisposed between and forcibly bearing against ;he casing and the tank, each said set comprisng two straight keys and one tapering key.

5. In a frost-proof device of the character lescribed, a casing, a water-tank within said :asing composed of a plurality of separable nembers, and sets of locking-keys to clamp he members of the tank against separation, lisposed between, and forcibly bearing `igainst, the casing and the tank, each said set :omprising two keys headed or hooked at their mds and one tapering key.

6. In a frost-proof device of the character lescribed,acasing provided with perforations, i water-tank within said casing composed of a .plurality of separable members, and clamping neans to hold the members of the tank against separation, said means passing through the 7. In a frost-proof device of the character i described,acasing provided with perfor-ations, f

a water-tank within said casing composed of a plurality of separable members, sills suitably arranged in the casing and provided with mortises, and clamping means to hold the members of the tank against separation, said means passing through the perforations in the casing and the mortises in the sills, and between, and forcibly bearing against, the casing and the tank.

8. In a frost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably mortised, a casing inclosing the tank and provided-with perforations, and clamping means to hold the members of the tank against separation, said means passing through the perforations in the casing and between, and forcibly bearing against, the casing and the tank.

9. In a frost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably mortised, a casinginclosing the tank and provided with perforations, and locking-keys to hold the members of the tank against separa tion, passing through the perforations in the casing and between, and forcibly ,bearing against, the casing and the tank.

l0. In afrost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably mortised, a casing inclosing the tank and provided with perforations, and sets of lockingkeys to hold the members of the tank against separation, passing through the perforations in the casing and between, and forcibly bearing against, the casing and the tank, each said set comprising two keys headed or hooked at both ends and one tapering key.

ll. In a frost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality1 of members suitably mortised, tenoned and grooved, a easing inclosing the tank and provided with perforations, sills suitably arranged in the casing and provided with mortises, and sets of lockingkeys passing through the perforations in the casing, but exteriorly of the tank, and .passing also through the mortises in the sills.

12. In a frost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably mortised, tenoned and grooved, a casing inclosing the tank and provided with perforations.l sills suitably arranged in the lower portion of the casing and adapted to support the tank, sills suitably arranged in the upper portion of the casing and extending across the top of the tank, all of said sills being provided with mortises, and sets of locking-keys passing through the perforations in the cas- IZO ing, but exteriorly of the tank, and also passing through the mortises in the several sills.

13. In a frost-proof device of the character delscribed, a hoopless and nailless Water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably mortised, tenoned and grooved, a casing inclosing the tank and provided with perforations, a false fioor to said casing forming air spaces or chambers, partitions between the Walls of the casing and the walls of the tank, forming additional air spaces or chambers, sills suitably arranged in the lower portion of the casing and adapted to support the tank, sills suitably arranged in the upper portion of the casing and extending across the top of the tank, all of said sills being 'provided with mortises, and sets of locking-keys passing through the perforations in the casing, but exteriorly of the tank, and also passing through the mortises in the several sills.

14. In a frost-proof device of the character described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank comprising a plurality of members suitably Vrnortised, tenoned and grooved, a casing inclosing the tank and provided with perforations, a false oor to said casing forming airchambers, partitions between the walls of the casing and the Walls of the tank, forming additional air-chambers, sills suitably arranged in the lower portion of the casing and adapted to support the tank, sills suitably arranged in the upper portion of the casing and extending across the top of the tank, all of said sills i being provided with mortises, and sets of locking-keys passing` through the perforations in the casing, but exteriorly of the tank, and

15. In a frost-proof device of the character Y described, a hoopless and nailless water-tank,

comprising a plurality oli' members suitably i mortised, tenoned and grooved, a casing inclosing the tank and provided with perforai tions, a false floor to said casing forming airi chambers, partitions between the Walls of the f casing and the walls of the tank, forming additional air-chambers, sills suitably arranged `in the lower portion of the casing and adapted to support the tank, sills suitably arranged in the upper portion of the casing and extending across the top of the tank, all of said sills being provided with mortises, setsof lockingkeys passing through the perforations inthe casing, but exteriorly of the tank, and also passing through the mortises in the several sills, a cover bridging a portion of the top of the tank and comprising a plurality of members to constitute air-chambers, and a cover extending over the Erst-mentioned cover and entirely over the tank, said second cover bc- 1 ing formed in two, hinged sections, one section thereof comprlslng a plurality of members constitutlng alr-charnbers.

In testimony whereof I alflx my signature in the presence of two su bscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS MARION VANDEGRIFT. Witnesses:

'WILLIAM C. UP'roN, JOHN E. REARDON. 

